How can these people say they love their pets?

12 years ago

We live in a rural area. Many people have horses and livestock. We were warned when we first moved in that if you get a dog, don't let it roam (which we wouldn't) because if roaming dogs get onto property with livestock they would most likely be shot. Finally, after 6 years we were able to install fencing around our entire 5 acres and we got a pup. But before we did this, the neighbor's dogs were constantly coming onto our property, doing their business, (the very same people who warned us) even though the owners have their property fenced also, they are just too lazy to close the gate. They also have horses, which twice got loose and rampaged onto our property, very dangerous because they go wild when they get loose, came within inches of crashing into our pool lanai. My main fear was that our property isn't horse-proof, meaning that we haven't cleared most of it, many jagged tree stumps, fallen logs, and gopher tortoise holes all over, so dangerous to horses. If one of them had run into one it most definitely would have broken it's leg. So at first after the fence was installed, the neighbor's little dog was small enough to crawl under our gate and come in and play with our pup. I didn't mind until our pup got much bigger and I was afraid she was getting too rough and would hurt the dog. So I told them what was going on and they said they would stop it, they didn't, so we had to put some broken concrete blocks under the gate so it couldn't crawl under. The other dog is a boxer, and this morning I was getting the newspaper and it came hurtling at me, barking, snarling, and with it's hair standing up. It got about 15 feet away and all I could think to do was say in a very forceful voice "Hey!" (I wasn't close enough to our gate to get inside and it was far enough away that the dog could have easily caught up with me.) Thankfully it stopped and turned and ran away. So again, I had to speak to the owner about that. The thing is, we do everything we can to keep our dog inside of our property line because we don't want anything to happen to her. These dogs are allowed to roam up and down the road where they could either be hit by a car or shot by a property owner. I just don't understand people. So I guess if I see them roaming again I'll have to carry pepper spray or some kind of weapon with me from now on when I go get the paper or the mail. I know that if I were to call the authorities the dogs would be back on their own turf before they got out here, we are way out in the boonies. I know this stuff goes on everywhere but I just needed to rant.

Comments (4)

Ninapearl
12 years ago
there isn't much you can do about the loose dogs, that is just a part of country living. i hate it! we are so isolated out here that in the 15 years i've lived on the farm, i can only remember 2 or 3 stray dogs coming around.

the horses, however, are another story. i know how loose horses can be loose cannons especially when they are in unfamiliar surroundings! should this happen again, i would have a SERIOUS talk with these people. a thousand pound horse can not only get seriously injured when it is running blindly through what you describe but that same horse could seriously injure YOU. you have every right to be alarmed when this happens!

i wish there was an easy solution to your dog problem but unless you have neighbors who are good dog owners and care for their pets, you are pretty much up the creek without a paddle.
Konrad___far_north
12 years ago
What gets me is that some people just don't care and have no respect about someone else.
There could be 3 good neighbors and one rotten apple, making it bad for all 3.
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ritaweeda
Original Author
12 years ago
Now that we have OUR property fenced, I doubt that the horses will come back, but they are still in grave danger if they get down to the RR tracks. I've been given the impression by the father that the animals are all the responsibility of the wife and kids, looks like that is a big mistake. It's really a case of being too lazy to get out of the car and open and close the gate. Since we fenced our property, this is something that we have just learned that we have to do. With the exception of the tiny dog that can crawl under the gate, all of their animals could be safely contained if they just did that.
jomuir
12 years ago
It's sad the way some folks treat their animals and have the nerve to say they love them. Pets/animals are so often seen 'as easy come easy go' and it's g-d's will, etc on how long they'll live, and how they die.

But pet ownership is very subjective. The way I treat my pets may not be your way, and it's hard not to judge others. When they allow their animals to be in harms way or dangerous to their own community, well then I feel I can judge. But my friend who has 3 dogs, I know she loves them, but they're untrained, and so filthy, it's sad to me that she has them. Yet I have a hard time saying she shouldn't have them all (and the 5 cats, ugh too many pets in one house for me!)

It's awful to think those horses could get loose, and break a leg and suffer yet the owners are so...casual about it. I bet they'd get another horse to take its place too. Pity the person who finds the injured horse though, that would be traumatic to experience.

What about carrying some yummy smelly treats for the dog? Try to get it on your side. I know that may be encouraging it to come over but it sounds like that's going to keep happening anyway. Good luck, that's one of the drawbacks of country life I guess. I wouldn't know, being a city slicker myself:)